The Merciad November 4 Issue

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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News ................2-5 Features...........6-9 A&E ............. 10-11 Opinion........ 12-13 Sports ......... 14-15 Laker Living.......16

W E D N E S DAY, N OV E M B E R 4 , 2 0 2 0

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VOL. 94 NO. 8

To reduce the spread of germs, please take this copy with you or recycle after reading.

Cheer and fright at Haunted Hurst PAGE 6

Online poll results

We asked: How did you vote in the presidential election?

Mail-in absentee ballot In person on Election Day Early voting in person I did not/ can not vote

2: Trump and Biden continue to fight for the Electoral College

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11: Symbolic statue created from rubble of Beirut explosion 15: MU bowling to co-host regionals

This week’s

POLL

What is the best pie to have at Thanksgiving dinner?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

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Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Trump and Biden continue to fight for Electoral College win

By Sam Peterson Staff writer

As of 10 p.m. EST, it is still too close to call.

The 2020 election between incumbent president Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden has yet to produce a clear winner.

A 270 electoral vote majority out of the 538 votes total is required to win the presidency.

At the time of writing this article, Biden has 122 electoral votes and Trump has 92.

The popular vote is 26,424,935 (48.3%) for Biden and 27,507,042 (50.2%) for Trump.

Notably, Trump lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million in his 2016 win over Secretary Hilary Clinton. However, Trump ended with 306 electoral votes to Hilary Clinton’s 232, carrying Trump to the Oval Office.

Several battleground states play a massive role in the election including Pennsylvania with 20 electoral college votes, Michigan with 16 and Wisconsin with 10.

Trump won all three of these states in 2016. These battleground states have been identified by the Biden campaign as highly competitive areas that can provide a clear path

Contributed photo

President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden are neck in neck in their race for presidency.

to victory.

Pennsylvania is leaning towards Joe Biden with 15% of precincts reporting. Biden has 712,019 votes (64.1%), while Trump carries 390,717 (35.1%). Notably, Erie County has not reported any precincts.

Michigan is undecided with 17% of the vote reporting in.

Biden has 372,173 (38.4%) to Trump’s 575, 448 (59.3%) votes.

Currently, Wisconsin has less than 1 percent of precincts reporting in.

There are also several states in play that were not deemed con-

tentious prior to the election. Texas (38) and Ohio (18) were both carried comfortably by Trump in 2016.

If Biden can flip either of these states to Democrat, Trump will have no clear path to victory.

Ohio has 59% of the vote reported. Of that, Biden carries 1,907,956 (50.7%) to Trump’s 1,804,909 (48%).

Texas has 74% of votes reporting in with Trump carrying a narrow lead of 4,369,761 (49.9%) to Biden’s 4,257,899 (48.7%).

Biden is currently being carried by 701,176 votes in Harris County,

home of Houston.

In terms of strategy, Biden needs to focus on flipping previously safe Democrat states that were carried by Trump in 2016.

To perform this feat, he needs to focus on outpacing Hilary Clinton in large urban centers with a high percentage of voters.

Currently, Biden seems to be seeing higher turnout and numbers in urban centers. However, his performance is disappointing so far in the usually contentious state of Florida, which Trump is predicted to win. Trump is up by 5,599,233 votes (51.2%) to

Biden’s 5,219,576 (47.8%) with 93% of the vote in. Biden’s performance is only marginally better than Hilary Clinton’s 4,504,975 (47.4%).

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many states did extensive mail-in ballots and early voting.

Of these states, there are different rules about when to count the ballots.

For example, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the state cannot start counting absentee ballots until election day.

Getting a full and accurate count of the votes may take significant time. Meanwhile, another crucial battleground of Nevada deemed it responsible to count mail in ballots upon receipt.

In the concurrent Senate races, Democrats hope to gain a majority in the Senate of 51 votes.

Democrats need to take 4 seats to flip from the current Republican majority.

There are numerous other House and Senate races that are too close to call at this moment.

For more information, continue to monitor major news outlets.

Mercyhurst community informed of COVID-19 cluster on campus via email

By Rebecca Dunphy News Editor

The night before Halloween, members of the Mercyhurst community received an email from vice president for Student Life, Laura Zirkle, Ph.D. that was neither a trick nor a treat. Much spookier than ghosts or witches, there was a potential cluster of COVID-19 cases on campus that would soon be reflected on Mercyhurst’s COVID-19 dashboard.

At the time Zirkle sent the email, administration was still waiting for the results of the official diagnostic tests, but if they were found to be positive it, it would be the largest increase of cases the campus has seen thus far.

Luckily, all individuals were placed in isolation and quarantine and contact tracing was performed to identify those who may have been exposed.

Only an hour after the email was sent, 13 of the probable cases were confirmed and the dashboard was updated to reflect these additions.

As of the next day, Nov. 1, all of the test results had been received, bringing the grand total of cases to

Contributed photo

29 students and two employees.

It did not take much longer for these cases to continue to increase, with the total climbing to 33 students and five employees by that evening.

All these cases stem from to two NCAA winter athletic teams and attributed to off-campus activity that exposed team members. To ensure the health and safety of all members of the Mercyhurst community, athletic practices, meetings and activities are suspended

indefinitely.

This allows for additional time to contact trace and deep clean potentially infected areas.

Not only are these additional cases alarming to those on campus, but the rise also aligned with Erie County’s largest single-day increase in active cases.

“Any spike in cases should serve as a reminder of the paramount importance of avoiding bars, restaurants, parties and any other large gatherings — especially

now. We strongly encourage all community members to heighten their personal precautions over the next few days,” Zirkle said in the email.

Zirkle’s recommendation to be careful and responsible were especially important given that the holiday weekend was just around the corner.

“Reckless and careless behavior from even a small number of us could unnecessarily expose our community to additional risk.

Stay home or stay on campus this weekend. Keep socially distant from others, and interact only with those individuals in your group,” said Zirkle.

This is in addition to all of these other COVID mitigation efforts, including mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and increased cleaning measures.

Though as of the evening of Nov. 3, no updates have been made to the COVID dashboard, it is still incredibly important that community members not decrease their defenses against the disease.

“Now more than ever, it’s clear how our actions affect ourselves and one another. Let’s hold ourselves and each other accountable and look out for one another,” said Zirkle.

For more updates on the number of active cases on campus, visit the COVID-19 dashboard, which will reflect all cases confirmed by the Erie County Department of Health.

If you are exhibiting symptoms or believe you may have been exposed, please call the COVID-19 hotline at 814-824-3600.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

NEWS

PAGE 3

Veterans’ Day honors those who serve with campus-wide events

By Miriam GIldea Staff writer

101 years ago, ‘Armistice Day’ was celebrated to mark the one year anniversary of the end of the Great War. After congressional approval, Nov. 11 officially became the nationally recognized holiday, Veterans’ Day, in 1938.

In the mundane of our day to day lives, it is all too easy to forget the sacrifice others have made to grant each of us our beloved personal freedoms and liberties. Veterans’ Day is a time to reflect on our American privilege and pay respect to those who have and continue to fight for our collective betterment.

Out of gratitude and honor, Mercyhurst is quite pleased to offer a number of events around campus to acknowledge this holiday and the brave individuals nationwide and within our gates who live out this humility.

From Nov. 9 through the 13, American Flags will be lining Old Main Drive and bugles will be heard periodically throughout each day, each having a unique meaning within a militaristic context.

On Nov. 11, Veterans’ Day, festivities will begin with the reveille at 7:45 a.m. Socially distant and masked, the Hurst community is invited to start the holiday with this ceremonial flag raising.

Contributed photo

The 2019 Veterans Day flag raising brought groups of people from throughout campus to recognize the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military. This year the event will be socially distanced.

At the end of the day, students are likewise invited to the retreat at 5 p.m., where the flag is taken down.

The main event of the day, however, will be the Celebration of Valor. This annual event will be held at 3:30 p.m. on a YouTube Live platform with Army ROTC professor of Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Bentley as the guest speaker.

There will also be a number of passive events, both online

and throughout campus, as another way to recognize current and former military service on our campus.

Veterans are encouraged to wear their issued “dog tags” as a sign of their pride. They are also encouraged to submit a video about their military experience. These videos will be shown throughout the week on Mercyhurst’s many social media accounts.

Photos and videos will also be displayed on the lobby

monitors in the Hammermill Library, Grotto Commons and Ryan Hall throughout the week.

“Veteran’s Day is so important because it is a day to thank all the brave men and women who have served in all branches of our armed forces throughout our country’s history. Veteran’s feel sometimes like their service was thankless and many use this day to reflect on their time served,” said Cadet Mark Peckich.

Veterans’ Day is the perfect time to take a step back and appreciate the efforts of our country’s military. It takes immense sacrifice from not only the veterans themselves, but also their friends and families.

“To me, Veterans’ Day highlights not only my service but the service of all other service members past and present. The military is a small community that shares in values and beliefs.

On this day, I get the opportunity to take a step back and appreciate the many experiences I have made throughout my time in service,” said assistant professor of Military Science, Captain Sergio Franco.

No matter the amount of social and political unrest in our country today, Veterans’ Day is the time to lay aside all disputes and focus on the blessings brought to us through those who pledge their lives to grant us ours.

“As Americans, we enjoy an abundance of rights and privileges that people in other parts of the world do not and, in many cases, those freedoms have come from the sacrifices made by our veterans, to whom we owe our deepest gratitude,” said President Michael T. Victor.

Therefore, please join Mercyhurst in celebration and thanks for our committed and generous veterans this holiday.

Mercyhurst partners with NCI on artificial intelligence database

By Ryan Davey Staff writer

Mercyhurst University has recently forged a partnership with NCI Information Systems, Inc. (NCI), to support the Reston, Virginia systems innovator in conveying the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the federal government.

“We’re excited to work with Mercyhurst University to further augment the NCI Empower AI platform,” said NCI President and CEO, Paul A. Dillahay.

He proceeded to talk about how the partnership between MU and NCI Information Systems, Inc. is very promising.

“The strength of our teams collaborating together promises to yield exciting new possibilities for the infusion of machine learning and data analytics ca-

pabilities into our arsenal of operational AI tools and technologies,” said Dillahay.

Four students from the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences within the Department of Computing and Information Science were selected to work with NCI on a customized AI database, an innovation designed to transform the way federal agencies do business while being more efficient, and reducing operational costs.

The students working on the project consist of undergraduate Brentyn Muir and graduate students Kutlu Mizrak, Arseniy Sklyarov and Alex Nicanor Kenmogne Tayou. They will also be supervised by assistant professor of data science and machine learning, Oluwatosin Ogundare, Ph.D. One of the graduate students,

Arseniy Sklyarov, shared his experience with the partnership and how he became interested in the opportunity.

“I got involved by asking Dr. Ogundare if there were any Data Science positions available for me to get some handson experience in this novel field to me. After speaking with him, the NCI project interested me and he recommended that I apply for the project position,” said Sklyarov.

Brentyn Muir, the only undergraduate student on the project, was ecstatic to hear the news when he was chosen to work on the NCI job.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” said Muir.

“NCI Inc. is an industry leader in providing AI solutions which is an area of study I am keenly interested in.”

Despite feeling excited about

the opportunity, Muir also felt another emotion.

“I was also extremely nervous. I am the only undergraduate student in a project filled with highly knowledgeable professionals with far more experience than me.”

Since this project is a partnership between MU and NCI Information Systems, Inc., there are numerous benefits and advantages for working on such a unique project. Students receive hands on experience in their field of study, which will serve them well as they look to a career in the future.

Graduate student, Alex Nicanor Kenmogne Tayou talked about how becoming a project participant will not only benefit him, but also distinguish him from others when looking for a future job.

“I have been able to gain some

industry experience which will be a great resume booster and an opportunity to distinguish myself and my colleagues from others when we get in the job market,” said Tayou.

When asked if the partnership between Mercyhurst University and NCI Information Systems, Inc. will continue after this year, Ogundare stated the following.

“We are in the works for a phase two plan for next year.”

For any current or future students in MU’s Department of Computing and Information Science within the university’s Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences, you will have the opportunity next year to be apply to be a participant in the phase two plan of the NCI project.

NEWS

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Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Find God in the mundane at Merciad IN A MINUTE Senior class gift scholarship The Senior Class Gift committee is sponsoring a scholarship in memory of former Mercyhurst student, Kenny Robinson.

The Committee’s goal is to reach $15,000 by the end of the year, with a grand total of $2,500 by the end of November.

Donations can be made through the crowdfunding page found on the Mercyhurst website.

Campus Life on Instagram Follow the new Twitter and Instagram account @HurstCampusLife to get more information about student life from the Campus Involvement Center.

This is a great way for students to stay informed about campus happenings and promote their club’s upcoming events.

the Busy Person Retreat

By Rebecca Dunphy News Editor

It is that time of year again: deadlines are looming, the work is piling up and the end of the semester is just under a month away. All of this combined with the circumstances of COVID-19 make for one stressed out and overwhelmed student body.

Luckily the Busy Person Retreat is happening now to help students to stay calm and connected to their faith during this time.

The Busy Person Retreat is an annual offering by Campus Ministry to help students navigate their faith with the help of a spiritual leader. Though normally students involved with Campus Ministry are the ones to take ad-

Holiday Valley is offering discounted season passes for college students.

Students can visit any weekday or night all season for $309.

These passes must be purchased before Dec. 1 to reserve these special low prices.

Life hacks in a COVID world Students are invited to take part in an 8-week series designed to help students better navigate the ever-changing circumstances of COVID-19.

This group, led by counselor Linda Graves, will meet Mondays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events?

Email us at newsmerciad@ mercyhurst.edu

“Students appreciate the individualized attention the retreat offers. Many will say they appreciate being able to be in a judgment free space and able to work through their struggles of life and faith,” said Patton.

Each year the retreat operates under a different theme, this year’s being “Finding God in the Mundane.”

“Given that many students are feeling like they wake-up and have the same day over and over again during COVID, we wanted to create space for students to process how they are doing in their daily lives,” said Patton. “Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives.” It is important for us to develop our understanding of God

during the mundane, ordinary moments of life as we have more of those than the mountain top experiences of life.”

In addition to the four meetings, students are provided with a booklet filled with daily readings, passages from the Bible and reflection questions which can be used to guide their meetings.

Each of the four days includes a different focus with the first being “Day 1: Wonder of Creation” followed by “Day 2: Give Us This Day,” “Day 3: Finding Contentment” and “Day 4: Offering Hospitality.”

It is nice to know that even during the midst of a busy semester, students can always look to Campus Ministry to find peace.

Día de Los Muertos events commemorate loved ones

By Samantha Weber

alter is a place where people place pictures, possessions, candles, flowers and even toys in memory The Day of the Dead or Día de of those have passed as a way to Los Muertos is a Mexican holi- acknowledge their lives. A lot of day that is celebrated not only in the time there is plenty of food Mexico, but also throughout sev- and drinks for the deceased loved eral other countries in South and ones to eat.

Central America. The holiday is Another popular tradition is associated with the Catholic cele- candy skulls. The skulls represent bration of All Saints’ Day and All the departed souls and they are Souls’ Day on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. often decorated to remember each This year, Mercyhurst celebrat- individual person. They are very ed with campus-wide events on detailed and colorful to remind those dates. families of the happiness that this The multi-day celebration has soul would bring to others. many traditions which take place These have become popularized to honor friends and family mem- and are commonly associated with bers who have passed away. How- the holiday and its decorations. ever, this event is not sad or deThere are also festivals where Photo by Samantha Weber pressing, but rather it is fun and people in attendance can put on upbeat because celebrants are re- makeup that looks like a skeleton. The wishing tree is on display inside of the Prince of Peace Chapel. membering the legacy of a loved The women wear big dresses and Mercyhurst University had the opportunity to help assemble one and the life that person lived. dance in groups to celebrate the One of the most popular tra- lives of the people who are not plenty of opportunities for stu- a wishing tree which was then dents and faculty to celebrate over prayed over by those who attendditions is the alter (ofrenda). The with them anymore. the weekend. There was an ofren- ed the event. da in Prince of Peace Chapel from The wishing tree was located in Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 where the Prince of Peace Chapel. anybody could bring a photo of a Students could hang a note, loved one who has passed, write a prayer, poem or a blessing on the note to them or even just come by tree addressed to a person who to pray and reflect. has passed away. The wishing tree A more upbeat celebration oc- symbolizes the tree of life and the curred on Nov. 2 where students fact that life is eternal even if we had the opportunity to go down pass from this world. Students do to the Roost and watch the pop- not have to add something to the ular movie, “Coco” and try some tree if they do not want to, but it Mexican hot chocolate, while is highly encouraged. learning about Día de Los MuerOverall, the week served as a tos traditions. reminder of how special life is On Nov. 3, Fr. Piszker offered and how it ought to be celebratan ofrenda ceremony to celebrate ed, now and in the coming winter the lives of loved ones lost in the months.

Photo by Samantha Weber Mercyhurst community. Over An ofrenda is set up for members of the Mercyhurst community to the four days, those who went leave pictures in memory of loved ones who have passed away. to Prince of Peace Chapel had Staff writer

Holiday Valley offers discount

vantage of these experiences, the retreat is open to all students.

As compared to a normal weekend-long retreat, this event runs over the course of two weeks where students coordinate four and a half hours to spend with their spiritual guides.

This year the event runs from Nov. 2 through 9, with leaders including Father James Piszker, university chaplain, Sister Natalie Rossi, Officer for Equity, Justice and Inclusion, Sister Michele Schroek, former Mercyhurst employee, Janell Patton, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, and Jillian Zaczyk of The Erie Diocese.

Students are assigned to one of these leaders and will coordinate a consistent meeting time with them.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

NEWS

Potential DHS change concerns

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

On Sept. 25, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a rule that would make changes to the Duration of Status (D/S) for international students and exchange visitors looking to study in or travel to the United States.

For decades, international students have been allowed to remain in the U.S. for as long as the full length of their program. However, if this proposed rule were to go through, D/S would be eliminated and would be replaced with fixed terms of admissions ranging from two to four years.

In a major move on Oct. 23, Mercyhurst announced their opposition to this change.

“The proposed rule argues that the elimination of Duration of Status is necessary to safeguard national security by reducing overstays,” said Mercyhurst’s official statement. “However, it fails to establish with compelling evidence that overstays happen with any statistically significant frequency. Moreover, the published rule links to a DHS report

published in March 2020 that shows an overwhelming majority of students and exchange visitors, 98.79 percent, follow our nation’s immigration laws and depart or change status within the time frame required. To fundamentally change a system that has been in place for decades to reduce an already minimal (less than two percent) number of students who fail to comply is overly punitive and counterproductive.”

When it comes to international students, their visas and status are crucial and their ability to complete their academic program may be in jeopardy with this proposed change.

“When we speak about international students, it’s important to note the difference between an F-1 student visa and F-1 student status,” said Brooke Fischman, assistant director of International Student Services. “It’s best to think of a visa as a key, as the only act which a visa entitles a student to is to seek entry into the country.

Once a student has been admitted to the country, they are conferred F-1 status. A student can remain in the U.S. with an expired visa as long as their F-1 status is current.”

Mercyhurst is home to students from 46 different countries, from as close as Canada and as far away as Australia, and all here for reasons ranging from sports to academic programs.

This proposed rule would severely limit how long they are allowed in the U.S., no matter their academic goals.

“This proposal sends another message to immigrants, and in particular international students and exchange visitors, that their exceptional talent, work ethic, diverse perspectives and economic contributions are not welcome in the United States,” said Esther Zimmer, Director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Two of Mercyhurst’s core values are that students are globally responsible and compassionately hospitable. Students follow these two by welcoming students of all religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This proposed change is jeopardizing that and Mercyhurst will continue to do what is right to protect their students, both within and outside the United States.

PAGE 5

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

This weekend’s campus events

Res Life gives procedures for end of fall semester

By Ashley Barletta Staff writer

It is hard to believe that winter break is already upon us. Due to the current state of the world, Mercyhurst’s winter break will look a lot different this year as opposed to past years.

An email was sent out to students on Oct. 26 from the Office of Student Conduct & Residence Life about closing plans for winter break. With the exception of international students and students who are required to stay out of athletic or academic necessity, all students are to be moved off campus for winter break by Nov. 25 at 7 p.m., the day before Thanksgiving.

“Students are expected to pack up and leave campus within 24 hours of their last class – the department has made the decision that this should help students space out their departure times,” Sidney Rice, assistant director of Residence Life for the Briggs Neighborhood here at Mercyhurst, said.

For the students who need to stay on campus after Nov. 25, there is a Semester Break Stay Request that can be found on the Housing and Meal Plan Portal us-

ing the link given in the email sent

by Res Life.

Prior to leaving campus, students will need to make sure that they throw away any trash, close and lock their windows, close the blinds, turn the thermostat to 65 degrees, turn off all of the lights, unplug everything from electrical outlets (with the exception of a refrigerator and/or aquarium) and lock their doors. This ensures that all residence halls and apartments are safe and prepared for students’ return in January.

There will also be a Winter Break Checklist which students will need to sign and leave on their doors before leaving campus.

Residence Life will be doing Health and Safety checks, so students should make sure their rooms are clean and tidy.

It is mentioned in the email that students should take any valuable possessions with them, as Mercyhurst is not responsible for lost or stolen items. This also ensures that students have everything they need for the extended period of two months.

If students do not plan to return for the spring semester, they are to remove all personal belongings from their room. If they fail to do this, their belongings will be do-

nated.

They will also need to turn in their room keys and report any damages to their room or apartment since moving in. This is to prevent additional costs to the students.

In addition to vacating their residences, students will also be expected to follow the COVID-19 protocols set forth by the World Health Organization and CDC. It is no surprise that students will need to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands or use sanitizer as necessary.

Unlike move-in day at the beginning of the semester, students will not need to sign up for a time to move out, as long as they are moved out by November 25.

Please remember that residence halls and apartments will be closed as of that date and will not reopen until Jan. 23, so it is important that students take all necessary belongings with them. RAs and other members of the Res Life team are resources to students who may have questions.

When safely moved out, enjoy winter break and take time to relax and be away from any college stresses you might have!

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG No crimes to report this week!

Great job, Lakers!

FEATURES

PAGE 6

LAKER MOMENT

Habitat for Humanity begins service event

By Mike Boylan Sports editor

Eva Phillips photo

MAC/SAC programmers Janiece Withers, LaRue Heutmaker and Darby Shafron in the Halloween spirit checking in students for their tour.

Mercyhurst students had the chance to get into the spooky mood during Haunted Hurst, which took place on Halloween night, Oct. 31. Mercyhurst’s MAC/SAC team organized and ran the event with the help of Mercyhurst Ambassadors to spread Halloween cheer – and fright – across campus.

Tours began in the Performing Arts Center, where students started their journey with a walk through a tunnel filled with fog, lights and creepy characters. Then students met up with their group’s tour guide.

The route took groups through the dark, decorated corridors of Old Main and Egan Hall and out into the Halloween night as the guides recounted tales of spooky Hurst hauntings. From the story of the drowned nun to the tale of the cursed engagement ring, these spooky stories gave students quite a shiver.

But the tours concluded in the warmth of the student union, where participants received a free mocktail drink to reinvigorate themselves after a night of spooky fun.

With the full moon shining bright over a clear, chilly night on campus, it truly was a lovely Halloween night, made even spookier by the fun of the Haunted Hurst experience.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

to gain funds for both club activities and the annual spring break trip that the club takes.

“This event is one of Habitat for Humanity’s biggest fundraisers and the money raised typically goes toward the club’s spring trip.

This year we are unable to do our trip due to COVID,” said Beady Titus, co-treasurer and fundraising coordinator. “That said, we still plan to raise money this year to help out the club next year, when we hope to take another big trip to a city in need.”

With the cancellation of the spring trip this year, funds raised will be helpful for the club’s trip next year, especially as fundraising for all charities has been difficult this year. “[It’s] unfortunate this year’s trip was canceled but for the next trip we will have a good amount of funding to play around with,” Delmoro said.

Past locations for trips have included Alabama, North Carolina and most recently, South Carolina.

Volunteering for the Rent-a-Habitator event is a perfect opportunity for students to become more involved while contributing to a good cause. It is also a great way to become acquainted with faculty members that you haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet.

“I have previously volunteered at many professors’ houses. I enjoy just being off campus and seeing/ meeting new professors and being able to see them in a non-educational setting. It is also nice to give back to the community,” Springer said.

“I enjoy getting to know the Mercyhurst staff more and more every time I volunteer,” said Delmoro. “In my experience, the staff

member always gets involved with us when we are helping them out, so I enjoy just talking and learning about their experiences. I also enjoy the satisfying feeling of helping someone out who needed the help.”

The event began this past weekend and will continue to take place over the first two weekends in November.

Volunteer times will run from either 11a.m.-1p.m. or 1p.m.-3 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays.

The following dates are still available for volunteers to sign up: Nov. 7, Nov. 8, Nov. 13 and Nov. 14.

Anyone can sign up, so you do not have to be a club member or be planning to go on a spring break trip.

In addition, anyone who needs service hours should consider voluneering with Habitat in order to fulfil service requirements.

As well as Rent-a-Habitator, the Habitat for Humanity Club will host an on-campus service event in cooperation with the Mercyhurst Student Government. This will be a campus clean up event on Nov. 8 from 12-2 p.m.

Students interested in volunteering can reach out to president Marina Boyle or VP Marina Delmoro for more information or to get involved.

Those specifically hoping to volunteer for Rent-a-Habitator can get the signup link from Abby Springer.

Any staff or faculty hoping to secure some volunteers to beautify their home can check past issues of the Morning Buzz for the Rent-a-Habitator link, or contact club advisor, Jeremy Hewitt.

Mercyhurst’s Habitat for Humanity club once again has the opportunity to run their annual Rent-A Habitator event this fall.

The event is a way for Mercyhurst students to get involved in the community by assisting faculty and staff with yardwork or home repairs in exchange for donations to the club.

This helps the club members to develop their skills before serving the wider community as part of local builds or spring break trips, and also helps to raise the funds needed to organize said trips.

“Rent-a-Habitator is an event we run every year where we provide volunteers to Mercyhurst staff members who need a little extra help around their house,” Marina Delmoro, senior Intelligence Studies major and vice president of the Habitat for Humanity Club, said. “These jobs typically consist of raking leaves, cleaning up a yard or gardens, or whatever the staff member needs us to do.”

Activities vary each year, and while there are usually indoor cleanups or building projects, precautions were taken this year which mandated that all projects be outdoor work only.

“Some activities could be yard work, painting or anything along those lines. Then in doing so, the volunteers are paid for the work and that money goes back to the club for future projects or the spring trip,” said Abby Springer, Rent-a-Habitator Coordinator.

Springer also spoke to just how the club goes about setting up the entire process.

“Professors sign up for certain days and times, then students go to their house to perform volunteer activities. [We] make sure that the professors that signed up get volunteers, place the volunteers at a site and make sure they have a way to and from the site,” said Springer.

The club leadership has been careful to make the necessary adjustments to allow for following the proper COVID-19 guidelines this year.

“This year we were unsure if this event was even going to happen, but we got approval and are going to be very COVID conscious.

The staff has been made aware that the jobs that are asked of us are to be strictly outside. Students will have to wear their masks at all times during the event, and we encourage all those who sign up to volunteer with a roommate, teammate or a member of their ‘pod’ to prevent people mixing too much with those they would not regularly see,” said Delmoro.

Additionally, staff members to Contributed photo sign up for volunteers have been asked to think of projects that alSophomore Cyber Security major Matthew Gildone volunteering at low for social distancing.

As stated, the goal of the event is Tami Salisbury’s mother’s home on Nov. 1.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Ambassador pledges give speeches

By Marina Boyle Editor-in-chief

Each year during the fall semester, students who hope to be a Mercyhurst Ambassador pledge to earn a green jacket.

The process is a rigorous one.

Only a few of the many hopeful applicants are chosen, and it takes a full semester to complete the process to become an Ambassador.

An essential part of representing Mercyhurst is learning about the history of the University and the Sisters of Mercy. Ambassadors must carry on the tradition of the Sisters and embody the legacy of Mercyhurst – something they can only do by understanding its history and spirit.

Because of this, an important part of the pledge process is Speech Night. Each pledge must make a three-to-five-minute speech on a topic of their choice as long as it pertains to Mercyhurst in some way, without any notes or prompts. Popular topics often include influential Sisters of Mercy, ghost stories from the Hurst, Mercyhurst athletics foundations, the history of academic departments at Mercyhurst and the foundations of the Sisters of Mercy, be-

ginning with Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland.

Kaitlyn Morris, a sophomore Music Therapy major is one of the students pledging this year.

“I’m pledging because I was an Ambassador in high school and enjoyed being able to share my pride for my school with others,” said Morris. “I hope to do the same at Mercyhurst. The pledge process taught me so much about the history of our school and I want to be able to share that with potential students and their families, showing them all the amazing things being a Laker offers.”

She gave a speech on the history of the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

“I chose this topic as I have had the wonderful opportunity of performing in this great space and wanted to research the story behind it. I enjoyed learning about the history of the Music Department and sharing it with the Ambassadors and my fellow pledges,” Morris said.

Bella Lee, a sophomore Public History major, gave her speech on something significant to this newspaper, the history of the Merciad.

“My speech topic was actually about the history of the Merciad.

I was torn between this topic and the history of the Roost (from the original Student Union to today’s pub), but I opted for this topic because several of the editors I know are Ambassadors and I feel that the Merciad should be made more well-known to the students, especially since the Merciad is integral to Mercyhurst history and has been around for almost as long as Mercyhurst itself,” Lee said.

As a Public History major, Lee hopes that becoming an Ambassador could help her in her future career.

“I am pledging to be an Ambassador because the career field I want to pursue includes giving tours at my favorite museums, and I thought that Ambassadors would be the perfect segway into that. Also, I want to help give a good first impression to prospective students that are considering Mercyhurst,” Lee said.

Speeches are given in person in front of all the other pledges and Ambassadors.

This year, due to social distancing requirements, most current Ambassadors were in the Sullivan classrooms, watching on Zoom, while pledges gave their speeches in the Mercy Heritage Room to the specific Ambassadors who

oversee the pledge process.

This year seniors Sydney Zajac and Elizabeth Becker are serving as pledge chairs.

“I really enjoyed hearing the creative topics that students came up with this year,” said Ambassador and junior Music Therapy major, Rhyan Komsthoeft. “I always learn a lot at speech night, and it is nice when a pledge’s personality shines through based on what their topic is or how they deliver their speech.”

Topics this year included the Laker Marching Band, past mascot Louie the Laker, the MIAC, Black History at Mercyhurst, the history of Mercyhurst baseball, Catherine McAuley’s canonization process, the Sisters of Mercy’s role in the Civil War and many, many more.

Speech Night helps the pledges and current Ambassadors to continue learning about Mercyhurst, but it also has another added benefit. The speeches made by students go into the Mercyhurst archives so that their research is available to others in the future.

Those who advance in the process after Speech Night begin learning how to give a tour.

They must practice their skills with a mentor and then give

a mock tour to an Admissions counselor and current Ambassadors who act as a ‘fake family’ to ask questions and give feedback.

Samantha Weber, a freshman majoring in Business and Competitive Intelligence, said she hopes to be an Ambassador so that she can help other students to determine if they want to be a Laker.

“For my speech topic, I decided to talk about the different schools that the Sisters of Mercy founded around Titusville, Pennsylvania because I think it is amazing what the Sisters were able to do with their resources, recognizing how important education is. I love the school I attend and am proud of it and I want to help students determine if this school is the right fit for them,” Weber said.

This year the process is even more of a challenge due to our condensed semester. As well as speeches and tours, pledges attend social events and learn about Mercyhurst at a weekly meeting on Sunday evenings. Those who pledge will find that the process is not easy, but it can be very rewarding.

Well done to all those who gave speeches and good luck pledging!

History alum creates Gothic era film

By Rebecca Dunphy & Ivory Easton

News editor & Staff writer

On Oct. 28 at 7 p.m., the History Department and History Club co-hosted the world premiere of “Claire de Lune,” a film written and directed by Mercyhurst Class of 2018 alumna, Sydney Van Leeuwen.

Van Leeuwen is a recent graduate of the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan, Michigan’s oldest film school. For her degree, she was tasked with creating three films: a silent film, one with dialogue and one with a thesis, which is where “Claire de Lune” comes in.

The film focuses on the treatment of insane asylum patients during the Victorian Gothic era.

The main character, Claire, is suffering from postpartum depression after her child was stillborn.

At the same time, she is being haunted by the voice of the child and an abusive husband, Hal, that placed her in the hospital for the mentally ill.

Frustrated by the voices that no one else hears and desperate for someone to understand what she is going through, she commits suicide.

The hauntings do not stop there, which makes for an interesting, chilling story.

Van Leeuwen first had the idea for this project in December

2019.

“I saw a picture online about the reasons women were institutionalized back in the 1890s and was inspired to write a story about mental health,” Van Leeuwen said. She knew wanted to write a story about women in history, because this is something we, as an audience, do not always get the opportunity to see.

During her writing process she consulted with History professor, Averill Earls, Ph.D. to ensure the piece was historically accurate.

“I consulted Dr. Earls from the History Department at Mercyhurst to ensure the accuracy of my script. Having been a History major, I wanted to do justice to the time period as much as I could,” Van Leeuwen said.

In July, she traveled to her hometown of Medina, Ohio with a crew of a dozen classmates, friends and family members. She then was responsible for the color grading and editing, which concluded just in time for her to screen the film at her graduation in mid-October.

In all, the film took about a year to complete.

The Mercyhurst premier was a perfect pairing of Van Leeuwen’s undergraduate experience with her new project. Students, faculty and staff were invited to watch the film in person or through Zoom.

“I loved Mercyhurst, loved my major, loved my professors and

Contributed photo

Sydeny Van Leeuwen ‘18 and one of her actors on the set of her short film,”Claire de Lune.” Van Leeuwen established a contract minor in Documentary Film while at Mercyhurst.

love that I can always touch base with my Hurst family. Hurst is Home and I truly mean that,” Van Leeuwen said.

Professors were equally excited about the opportunity to show her film.

“We wanted to host the event because Sydney Van Leeuwen is an alumnus of the department and was our very first Documentary Film graduate. She created her own contract minor and inspired the creation of our Doc-

umentary Film concentration,” Earls said. “Since her film, which is rooted in historical research, went so nicely with Halloweentime in its release, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase her work and the success of one of our grads.”

The film was shown by History Club, with viewers encouraged to dress up to match the film’s theme.

Looking to the future, Van Leeuwen has no immediate plans

for the creation of another film.

Although she loved the planning, scheduling and organizing of the project she would prefer to be in an assistant director role.

She said she would only want to direct again if she was especially passionate about the subject matter.

“Eventually I would like to direct a movie about Commodore Perry, but that’s a ways down the road,” Van Leeuwen said.

PAGE 8

FEATURES LAKER LIFE

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

AIM director provides tips for creation of normalcy

By Samantha Weber

Staff writer

Laren Reesman photo

MAC/SAC hosts Pumpkin Patch Event The MAC/SAC programmers were in full Halloween-theme this weekend as they braved the cold to give Mercyhurst students a night of fall festivities.

There was music blasting, and a good selection of apple cider and food for participants. Taking a look inside at the activity, students got to paint their pumpkins while enjoying fall food and beverage. Pumpkins ranged from Halloween-themed to the characters in video games.

The Director of the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM), Brad McGarry, has contributed an article for the GoErie News relating to the pandemic and student life.

McGarry’s article, titled “Creating Normalcy for Students on the Spectrum During a Pandemic” was featured in the newspaper’s opinion section.

In the article, McGarry provides tips to parents who have children who are on the spectrum during this unprecedented time, with the main focus being on how to reduce anxiety and navigate remote learning.

McGarry’s article is a summary of a discussion he had with Dr. Temple Grandin, perhaps the world’s leading advocate for autism communities.

“I had recently had a discussion with a world-renowned individual in our field and felt that the information and content of that discussion worked well with the content that was asked for in the request,” McGarry said.

The article’s main points talk about how to create a pattern that will not change that much.

McGarry and Grandin suggest keeping a steady routine such as committing to “make your bed every day, get dressed, eat your meals, enjoy leisure time and set schedules.” McGarry gave advice on how to set up a schedule for remote learning, and use this to ensure productivity.

“Establish standard ‘work periods’ where students can exercise their minds and participate in academic endeavors,” McGarry said.

Consistency in daily routines is shown to help ease concern about the future and the unknown.

In terms of the anxiety aspect,

Contributed photo

Brad McGarry, director of Mercyhurst’s AIM Program

McGarry recommends that you “offer transitional warnings to help with predictability, even from one activity to another in the home.”

“Understanding what comes next is a great way to ease anxiety and feel more in control of the environment around you,” McGarry said.

In terms of remote learning, creating a conducive learning environment in the home free from distractions and sensory input is very important for students on the spectrum and others alike.

“Add structure to the day. When you develop routines throughout the day, it provides predictability and responsibility,” McGarry said.

The article makes an interesting point saying, “We have a unique opportunity to share with an entire generation what real family time looks like and what

the world looked like before the World Wide Web and instant access to everything.” This idea urges parents to take a step back and evaluate what is important to be teaching their children. The article strongly encourages “limiting screen time and gaming and build it into the reinforcement of following the daily schedule.”

When asked about why he wrote this article, McGarry said, “I was approached and asked if I could possibly share some information that could support local families and share how we were responding to the COVID pandemic.”

He was able to talk to Grandin prior to this and they had a wonderful discussion.

“In the end, it all came together, and the editorial was the final product,” McGarry said.

Anthropology club hosts guest speaker

By Quinn Gannon

Opinion editor

On Oct. 28, 2020 the Mercyhurst Anthropology Club hosted guest speaker Alexander Anthony.

Anthony, an Anthropology Ph.D. student at Syracuse University had an open discussion with the club via Zoom.

Mercyhurst Anthropology students had submitted questions to Anthony in advance, and he came prepared with answers for them. The attending students introduced themselves to him and were able to chat through Q&A format.

Anthropology Club president and senior Sky Secord said the event was successful.

“Alex Anthony was very honest and didn’t sugarcoat the difficulties that come with the phys-

ical and emotional aspects of the job, but I think it only encouraged people to pursue careers in anthropology and archaeology more,” Secord said.

Anthony earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Michigan State University in 2003, and then earned his Master’s in 2019.

He has several published works and a lot of field experience.

His research reports primarily come from Milwaukee, as does his master’s thesis, “Less Than Human: A Study of the Institutional Origins of the Medical Waste Recovered at the Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery.”

He has also worked as a teaching assistant at both the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Syracuse.

Anthony explained that he did not originally enter undergrad

“

Anthony didn’t sugarcoat the difficulties that come with the physical and emotional aspects of the job, but I think it only encouraged people to pursue careers in anthropology and archaeology more.”

Sky Secord, club president

with the intention of doing anthropology, but took one class his freshman year and got hooked.

He “accidentally” found his graduate school through doing field work.

Since anthropology has an endless number of subfields to study, Anthony suggested students try out as much as they can until they

find the topic that most interests them.

He also gave advice, suggesting that students interested in the more hands-on field of archaeology get tangible experience after undergrad, rather than going straight to graduate school.

By listening to his experience in the field of anthropology, Mercyhurst students were able to gain insight into what their future may look like. He was able to prepare those in the Anthropology Club for the tiring difficulties of the job, while still maintaining a positive outlook to encourage students to continue on this path.

In normal, non-pandemic times, the Anthropology Club likes to host a variety of speakers throughout the year. Although this one was conducted via Zoom, club president Secord explained

that it was nice to have a speaker to give students a sense of normalcy.

Secord thought Anthony was able to provide some valuable information to the future anthropologists. Her perspective on graduate programs was changed

by Anthony.

“I learned that an important part of graduate school is less about the acclaim of the people you study under and more about the people you are with and the deeper social connections you make through work and life.”

The open discussion and advice from Anthony provided Mercyhurst Anthropology majors with information to help determine their future paths, while also providing a sense of regularity during these difficult times.

FEATURES

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

PAGE 9

Poli Sci majors await election outcome

By Joe Talarico Staff writer

On Nov. 3, the country voted to decide who shall be the next president of the United States.

Mercyhurst’s Political Science students have been following the election closely. For many of them, it will be their first time voting in a presidential election.

This will be the first election for sophomore Lily Smith.

“I was considering voting using an absentee ballot since I am from Rochester, New York, but I actually ended up making a trip

home to vote in person last weekend,” said Smith. “I do not trust mail-in ballots this year due to the tampering of the USPS, but I am happy I voted in person because I know my vote will count. My parents instilled in me the importance of voting from a young age, and for that I am forever grateful.”

Junior Holden Sczerba believes that voting by mail is a lot safer than many think. He says that many states like Florida have been voting by mail safely and securely for years.

However, he also says that he is “in favor of voting in person if you

can. My belief is that if you can go to the grocery store, you can go to the polls.”

Smith predicts that Biden will win the election. “People have realized that Trump is unfit to run the country and his actions have proven that he only really cares for rich people.”

She is also critical of the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. “His administration did not take the coronavirus seriously, and many people have died and suffered due to this,” Smith said.

Sczerba predicts that Trump will

win the election. He believes that Trump’s victory will be ensured if he wins Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina and Florida are the main battleground states of the election. Whoever wins the majority of them will win the presidency.

Although excited to hear the election results, Smith is less hopeful about democracy in America.

“The political state of the country is a mess. People are too loyal to their parties so they don’t consider the candidates’ actual beliefs.”

She predicts that “after the election, people will definitely be an-

gry, no matter the outcome.”

Smith also feels that there has been a loss of compassion and empathy in our politics currently.

Sczerba believes that the state of American politics is “poor at best.”

“People can no longer have beliefs without being attacked, and they are losing friends and distancing themselves from family members,” said Sczerba. “We have gone from a state of politics when John McCain took out a full page ad congratulating Obama on winning, to looting and riots.”

RSCO Feature: Tabletop Games Club

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

If you’ve had a stressful day of classes and want to wind down, look no further than the Tabletop Games Club. This club meets every week to play an array of tabletop games, from board games to card games. Its advisor is Courtney Lang, assistant professor of Communication.

This club is incredibly unique to the university, and unlike other academic or professional development clubs, Tabletop Games Club exists for recreation and fun. Tabletop Games Club plays a variety of games like “Magic” to “Dungeons and Dragons” and all in between.

The club is one of the few clubs on campus that has been able to maintain primarily in-person meetings in a pandemic world.

“In the beginning we held meet-

ings on Zoom and we still can if the need arises,” said Mitchell McQuaid, senior Public Health and Criminal Justice double major and president of the club.

“We would play Cards Against Humanity online for a while if it seemed like we wouldn’t be able to meet in person. There were also plans for purchasing a tabletop simulator for the club, but thankfully we’ve been able to meet in person since.”

While this semester has been unique to such a degree, the club ensured they took full advantage of what they could. For example, the club has been utilizing table-top simulators so that members could play their favorite table-top games such as “Dungeons and Dragons” virtually in place of the traditional in-person contact that the game requires. Currently, the club has access to both “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Drag-

Contributed photo

ons Beyond Master Tier.”

Competitive card games have seen a resurgence in the club, ranging from “Magic the Gathering” to “Vanguard.”

Justice Alleruzzo, senior Communication major and vice pres-

ident of the club has been managing a Dungeons and Dragons campaign from previous years, but a second campaign is slowly rising in popularity. This one is managed by Eli Neun, freshman Archeology and Anthropology

double major.

The club meets in Hirt L118 on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., although members will often branch out and meet outside of that time frame.

Members are encouraged to join in on games or even bring games of their own, whether it be a classic game like “Monopoly” or popular card games like “Uno” or “Apples to Apples.”

While tabletop games club currently does not have any set-instone plans for the remaining few weeks of the semester, the e-board is hopeful that the future of the spring semester gives leeway for new opportunities.

If you are interested in joining the club, be sure to reach out to McQuaid at mmcqua15@lakers. mercyhurst.edu.

Come to meetings for a night of fun and relaxation!

FROM THE ARCHIVES October 2000: The presidential election of 2000 was the most contested in modern American history, but before the ballots were cast, Mercyhurst students were sharing how they would vote with the Merciad.

The last issue in October featured a special section about George W. Bush and Al Gore, comparing their stance on abortion, foreign policy, education, the environment and campaign funding reform.

Students shared what factors were most important to them when voting, with education being a hot topic.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 10

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Melissa Errico performs for MIAC

By Grace Smrcka

Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture (MIAC) proudly hosted performer Melissa Errico for a Zoom performance on Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Brett Johnson, director of the Mercyhurst Theater Program and the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture moderated the discussion throughout the performance.

While this was a free performance, like all MIAC events, registration was required.

Errico is “the Maria Callas of American musical theater,” as Opera News has called her, referencing both her crystalline voice and dramatic, expressive intensity of her performance style.

Errico is an actress, singer and author. First known for her starring roles on Broadway, her latest album, “Sondheim Sublime,” was “the best all-Sondheim album ever

recorded,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

However, nothing in her work has been more constant than her association with Michel Legrand.

Having starred in his sole Broadway show, “Amour,” she went on to collaborate with him on the iconic album “Legrand Affair.”

After Legrand’s death in 2019, she was asked to write his eulogy by The New York Times, for which she is a frequent contributor, and was then invited to become the sole American performer to participate in the extraordinary two-day memorial to Legrand held in April at Paris’ Le Grand Rex Theatre.

Ericco was born in New York City and attended high school in Manhasset while taking dance lessons in Manhattan.

She grew up around art and music, as her father is an orthopedic surgeon and a concert pianist and her mother is a former teacher

Contributed photo

Broadway star Errico is one of the many acts that MIAC has brought to Mercyhurst virtually this year.

who now works as a sculptor. Additionally, her grandmother was an opera singer.

Errico began her professional career at the age of 12, appearing on the children’s TV series “The Great Space Coaster.”

Errico opened her performance with a medley featuring “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” from “My Fair Lady,” and “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music.” This arrangement was something that she put together herself.

Most of the performance was virtually accompanied by Tedd Firth, who is one of the most sought-after musical directors, pianists and arrangers in jazz, cabaret, concert halls and beyond.

While the entire concert was fantastic, a notable piece that she performed was “When She Loved Me,” written by Randy Newman for the film “Toy Story 2.”

Errico expressed her connection to the song, as she has three daughters. She stated that she deeply relates to the work as she watches her little girls grow up and become independent. There was certainly not a dry eye after that piece.

To bring the performance to a

close, Errico performed the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the well-known film “The Wizard of Oz.” However, this performance was especially unique as she performed it using original lyrics that had been cut from the song.

Before singing this final piece, Errico reminded the audience that what motivates her is a desire “to understand the writer and the song. Know the intention behind the words. It is not just a melody, you need to have an effective sound.”

Melissa Errico was an absolute delight. Her talent was obvious even over a digital platform, and the joy she got from performing radiated through the screen. It is no wonder that Errico is as wellknown as she is.

Overall, she was incredibly humble and had a great deal of passion and music to share with the audience.

Choreography III showcases “Reflections”

By Christa Knipes

Arts and Entertainment editor

During the average year, the Mercyhurst Dance Department offers various choreography classes ranging from I-IV. Each of these classes culminates in a final showing of student choreography, from a small performance in the studio for sophomore choreographers, to a fully ticketed show on the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center stage for the seniors’ choreography capstone course.

Unfortunately, live shows are not permitted in the current climate of the world – as we all well know. Even so, choreographers still need to have their final.

Thanks to Zoom, this was possible.

The Palmer studio in the Dance Space – fondly referred to as “the fish bowl,” was temporarily converted into a makeshift stage for the showcasing of Choreography III. Black curtains were hung over the mirrors, and booms with lights were brought in to give a fully lit experience. This allowed for an ambient background of blue and a spotlight in the middle.

Cameras were also set up in the corners for filming.

Groups went into the studios over the weekend, and each work was filmed one at a time with the floors and sanitized mopped in between.

All of this footage was compiled and shown over Zoom, with one day for the juniors and one for the seniors.

Thanks to being remote, family members from near and far were able to attend, many of whom would not have been able to make the journey to Erie, Pennsylvania in a normal year.

Each choreographer picked their own dancers and music and found inspiration in their worlds to create movement.

The junior class showcase, titled, “Reflections,” included nine works from an interactive piece about voting where the outcome is decided by the audience. Additionally, there was a piece inspired by the Greek myths of Cupid and Psyche.

Contributed photo

Photo of dancers in the junior “Reflections” showcase. Each choreographer chooses their own dancers and music and is tasked with finding inspiration from the world arund them.

The senior showcase included eleven total works that were equally diverse in their subject matter.

The dancers performed everything from classical ballet, to jazz, to tap, to contemporary ballet and back again.

One work from the senior showcase was choreographed by Austin Duclos, senior Dance major.

His creation, “Beholden //”, was a work of female empowerment based on the ideals men place on women for complacency.

The woman was displayed as more than a docile kitchen furnishing through the use of more masculine movement and innuendo.

“Beholden //” addresses issues of sexual

abuse, physical harassment, domestic inequality and women’s rights,” Duclos said.

Clearly, dance students can easily be inspired by issues they see in their surroundings and a desire to facilitate change.

Of course, one such change was that these powerful works were presented digitally instead of with the raw power of being in person.

“The colors, costumes, prop-work and some formations are not easily displayed on a 2-D screen,” Duclos explained. “The cast [of “Beholden //”] had 12 notecards of specific words used to describe women dating back to the 1400’s which are not able to be read on the recording.”

Details such as this are lost online and

can completely negate the message and feeling behind the work.

Despite the setbacks of this semester, the Zoom showings of “Reflections” held an impressive number of audience members and was highly enjoyable for all who watched. There is certainly something special about seeing dance, especially in a showcase of such diversity in subject matter and movement.

Next semester, the seniors of “Reflections” will be staging their capstones in “Raw Edges”.

We are all looking forward to viewing the culminations of their time at Mercyhurst for their final Performing Arts Center debut.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

UPCOMING EVENTS Nov. 12 @ 7:30 p.m. on Zoom: Rascasuelos, “Tango of Today”

Dec. 3 @ 7:30 p.m. on Zoom: Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy present “A Celtic Family Christmas” Contributed photo

Coined “Lebanese Lady Liberty,” the statue is made from the rubble of recent Beirut explosions.

Symbolic statue created from rubble of Beirut explosion

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

On Aug. 4, a large amount of ammonium nitrate that was stored at the port of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, exploded.

This explosion left over 300,000 people homeless and has led to at least 204 deaths, 6,500 injuries and about U.S. $15 billion in property damage.

Since this explosion, the people of Lebanon have come together to support their capital, participating in cleanup efforts, raising money for those that lost everything and returning lost pets to their owners.

Hayat Nazer was among these people, but she wanted to do

something more.

“The explosion broke my heart.

I was just devastated. I was traumatized, but honestly, all of us in Lebanon are traumatized,” Nazer said. The explosion was devastating to a country that had already been suffering from political turmoil, economic collapse and a worsening coronavirus outbreak.

Participating in the efforts to cleanup Beirut and restore the city to its former glory inspired Nazer to create a statue that she hoped would unite the city and the country.

“I traveled to people’s homes after they were destroyed by the explosion and told them, ‘I just want you to give me anything I

can include to make you a part of my sculpture,’” Nazer said. “I was shocked. People gave me such valuable things - things from their childhood, their grandparents who died in the civil war, things they wanted to save for their children. So many emotions went into this.”

And so with the items she collected, Nazer created a statue of a woman with long, flowing hair, raising the flag of Lebanon. At the base of the statue sits a clock frozen on 6:08, the exact time of the explosion.

This is not the first creation Nazer has made to raise awareness of Lebanon’s social and political turmoil. “I suddenly started

feeling the need to paint,” Nazer said. “It was a need that I couldn’t stop. I had to quit my job because I felt like I just couldn’t make the change I want to see in the world without focusing on my art.”

Her previous works have included other found object sculptures, as well as graffiti and paintings on canvas.

In 2019, she made a sculpture titled “The Phoenix,” which was made of tents that were broken by counter-protestors during Lebanon’s political upheaval. She has also created a giant heart made of stones and tear gas canisters left over from riots.

Most of her previous works have been destroyed by authorities

that don’t take kindly to criticism of the government, and she fears that the same fate will befall her unnamed statue of the woman.

“After an explosion, you can build back homes and buildings, but what you can’t bring back are memories,” Nazer said. “And throughout Lebanon’s history, our government removes anything that reminds us of what has been done to us. That’s what makes this project so special. It’s fighting.

We’re raising our voices through art. We’re telling our own stories.”

No matter how long it stands, this statue will remain a symbol of hope for all of Lebanon.

Faculty Fireside Chats Each week the Merciad will feature advice or stories from a Mercyhurst community member.

Why I don’t like masks: “I walked into a bank the other day and said to my wife, “Eight months ago wearing a mask into a bank could have gotten you arrested!” Mask wearing has become the new normal and the socially responsible thing to do. But, I don’t like it.

It is not because they can be too warm or my glasses fog up or they get itchy with my beard. It is because I can’t see your face. We forget names, things we’ve learned, but we remember faces. Neuroscientists have identified an area of the brain that is dedicated to facial recognition. A smile can be friendly, or polite or forced – and we can tell the difference. The most sophisticated computers are not as good as you are at detecting faces and facial expressions. That feedback serves to connect us to one another.

I will continue to wear my mask and implore you to wear yours. But I don’t like it because I miss you and your smiling face!

All will be well one day. For now, mask up, and keep smiling.

- Dr. Gerard Tobin, associate professor of Psychology

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD Coronavirus cases have been declining in Asia.

SAD Actor Sean Connery passed away on Oct. 31.

INTERESTING Erie County was determined to be one of the top 20 counties in the country in determining our next president.

The Merciad STUDENT EDITORS Marina Boyle............................ Editor in Chief Gillian Mazur ....................... Managing Editor Rebecca Dunphy .........................News Editor Victoria McGinty .................... Features Editor Michael Boylan ..........................Sports Editor Christa Knipes .............................. A&E Editor Quinn Gannon ......................... Opinion Editor Sarah Klein ...................................Copy Editor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor.

All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit.

Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters via email at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Write-ins and third party votes a waste

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

Ever since the first presidential election, there has been essentially two parties running against each other.

Whether it’s been the Federalists against the Democratic-Republicans or the Democrats against the Republicans, one party will emerge victorious over the other.

However, there has almost always been a smaller third party weaving its way in and out of elections.

From the Whig Party of the early 1800s to today’s Libertarian and Green Parties, these lesserknown parties have come up with candidates for mayor, governor, senator, representative or even President.

This year Jo Jorgenson is the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate.

In 2016, that honor was bestowed upon Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico, while Jill Stein, a physician

from Massachusetts, was the presidential candidate of the Green Party, a position she resumed from the 2012 election.

Another thing that US elections have seen in recent years have been write-in votes.

In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II was a popular write-in vote since many Americans did not have faith in Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Maryland governor Larry Hogan received some backlash recently for putting in Ronald Reagan as his write-in vote, which brings me to my main point: write-in and third party votes aren’t just a waste, they’re detrimental to elections.

Even if one electoral vote were to go to a third party or write-in candidate, it could completely change who wins the election.

Another overseen problem are faithless electors, who are individuals that give their electoral votes to people that are not running for the presidency.

In 2016, there were 7 such individuals. 2 of these votes came from Texas, with 1 vote going to Ron Paul and another to John Kasich. Washington had

the most faithless electors, with 4;3 of the votes going to Colin Powell while the other went to Faith Spotted Eagle.

The last faithless elector came from Hawaii, and their vote went to Bernie Sanders.

Although these might just look like 7 electoral votes, they could have easily helped strengthen the race between Clinton and Trump.

I don’t have anything against those who support a third party, but I believe that when it comes to presidential elections, it’s best to stick to the two main parties, especially with such a crucial election like this one.

If even one electoral vote goes to someone other than the two main candidates, it could easily devastate the election and change an outcome.

No matter how different our ideological views may be, for now let’s just put our differences aside, vote for the major candidate of our choice, and see how the election plays out.

Should we favor Electoral College or popular vote? include Maine, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Staff writer Texas, Ohio and Iowa. If we go back to the 2016 election, according to the article “Why Rural America Voted for The Presidential Electoral Trump,” published in The College is, by definition, a group New York Times, it seems that of presidential electors required political analysts noted topics by the Constitution every such as ignorance, racism, presidential election to elect the nationalism, as well as the President and Vice President of declining of middle class families the United States. being the reasons people in rural A presidential candidate needs areas decided to vote for him.

270 electoral votes to win the Trump’s response to the election, and it is predicted that coronavirus pandemic in the Joe Biden will win the 2020 United States is likely the reason election with 290 electoral why voters are favoring Biden votes, according to the website over Trump.

270toWin. According to Vox, Donald However, there are a few flaws Trump appears to have a of the Electoral College. The first three percent chance of is being “undemocratic,” because winning the election based on candidates can win elections FiveThirtyEight’s model. Other even if they do not win the models suggest a 20 percent popular vote with the public. chance is more likely. Shifts in Another criticism is how votes party support since Trump took of losing candidates are canceled office could make him irrelevant in each state. to voters.

The states that are toss-ups Trump lost the popular vote

By Patrick Corso

by 2.1 percent in 2016, but had a 2.9 percent Electoral College edge.

Joe Biden, on the other hand, appears to be winning the national popular vote by 8.6 percent.

Since he appears to be ahead in the tipping point state of Pennsylvania by 4.8 percent, the Electoral College could end up giving Trump only 3.8 percent.

For decades, there have been polls that show large amounts of Americans preferring popular vote systems instead of the Electoral College.

In a poll conducted by Gallup in September, 61 percent of voters want it done away with, while 38 percent want to keep it.

In order for that to take effect, Congress would have to pass an amendment.

Is the Electoral College system worth it? We have to wait and see how it will have an effect during this election cycle.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

OPINION

PAGE 13

Pope and I support HURST STUDENTS same-sex couples SPEAK UP

By Ashley

Barletta

Staff writer

To preface this article, I would like to say that I myself am Catholic. I was raised as a Catholic and love my religion.

And, since this is an opinion article, everything in here is from my perspective. I for one, do support same-sex civil unions.

As Catholics, we have been expected to believe that marriage is meant for a man and a woman. However, the view on that is changing, and Pope Francis spoke about same-sex unions, saying that gay people deserve to have families. God clearly makes people a certain way for a reason, and I guarantee that it is not to divide us, but to unite us.

One topic that comes up when talking about same-sex unions is whether love is a choice. I believe that while attraction is not a choice, love is.

So, who are we to judge who a person can or cannot love?

We are never going to truly know why a person thinks or acts the way that they do

because we do not know their hearts; only God knows what is in each person’s heart.

Therefore, it is not up to us to decide for another person who they are allowed to love.

Another issue that comes into play is whether same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt. What bothers me the most is that Catholics are against abortion, but they are also against same-sex couples adopting.

“

So, who are we to judge who a person can or cannot love?”

Ashley Barletta

I think that they should absolutely be allowed to adopt.

Who are we to deprive children of a good life, of a loving family just because the family may operate a little differently than what has been accepted as “normal?”

Don’t all children deserve the chance at a happy life instead of falling victim to the orphan life or foster care system?

Once, I asked a lady I know

why Catholics do not believe in same-sex unions. The way it was described to me, as a heterosexual, was that when I am attracted to someone, I don’t immediately act on my emotions.

That was where the story ended. It was never brought into account that someday, when I am married, I will be able to “act on my emotions.”

Since the Catholic religion currently does not teach that same-sex marriage is okay, then same-sex couples will never be able to act on their emotions, and to me, that is incredibly sad.

Imagine being in love with someone, and being told that your love is invalid. This is what same-sex couples face all of the time, and it is about time someone in power, such as the pope, would speak up for them and validate them.

Keep in mind that we are all children of God, and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, so we should be supporting each other in our life journeys and loving one another no matter what.

It only takes a little acceptance and understanding in order to connect with people, which is something I find to be truly beautiful.

International relations at stake in this election from the 2015 nuclear Iran

This includes rejoining the Iran nuclear deal, the WHO and the Paris Climate Accord, along with Contributing writer Accord and the World Health Organization (WHO) were other agreements that Trump has justified by Trump’s assertion withdrawn from. that such actions were in the best Biden also claims that he would interest of the United States. be stricter on countries like The 2020 election is imperative According to the USA Today, Russia, China and North Korea. to the direction that the United in October 2018, Trump claimed According to CNN, Biden States will take into the new to be a nationalist. This has claimed that Trump has been too decade. major implications for his foreign lenient on them by “embracing The U.S. will adopt a widely policy if elected to a second every autocrat in the world.” different perspective towards term, because Trump would Biden believes that Trump the outside world based on who likely attempt to withdraw the has given too much credibility is chosen as president.

U.S. from the global stage even to leaders such as North Korea’s To begin with the incumbent, further.

Kim Jong-Un and Russia’s Donald Trump, has used an One of the ways he has Vladimir Putin by engaging with “America First” approach in proposed to do this is by them diplomatically. regard to his foreign policy withdrawing the United States CNN also stated that Biden decisions. This approach is not from the North Atlantic Treaty has not offered details as to how new, but it was adopted most Organization (NATO). U.S. he would accomplish future recently by Trump when he hit citizens can expect for Trump goals, but he has pledged “to end the campaign trail in 2015. to continue this kind of foreign support for the Saudi ArabiaAccording to the White House, policy if reelected, which led Intervention in Yemen” and the “America First” policy can be could further alienate allies and withdrawal of the United States defined as “putting the interests aggravate adversarial nations. military in Afghanistan. The and security of the American Former Vice President Joe American people can expect people first.”

Biden’s foreign policy can be Biden to adopt a more globalist It appears self-explanatory, most easily explained as the exact approach if he is elected. The but based on Trump’s actions opposite of President Trump’s.

United States likely will regain a as president, the “America first According to CNN, Biden’s central role on the global stage policy” is nationalistic in all but most immediate foreign policy compared to Trump’s withdrawal. name. concerns are reversing the actions This policy could negatively Actions such as withdrawing that Trump has taken. affect the United States

By Zach Dumais agreement, the Paris Climate

We asked: Why are you voting?

Elizabeth Miller, freshman Biology major: “I’ve always wanted to vote because it is my civic duty, and I want to see a lot of changes right now.”

Nicole Snow, junior Music Therapy major: “I want to vote to be able to contribute to our generation and be able to make a difference.”

Mark Peckich, grad student Intelligence major: “I want to vote this year to better serve American civil liberties and help maintain democratic values in the United States.”

Jon Chapman, freshman Criminal Justice major: “It’s important for your vote to be heard and to be a part of something bigger.”

Compiled by Miriam Gildea

because it would mean that it would be obligated to abide by international agreements, which would require resources such as money and overseas military obligations. This policy could also have positive effects with better relations with allies.

It also would allow for the United States to cooperate and compete with other nations in a variety of industries which would likely lead to economic growth and prosperity for most nations.

The people of the United States are tasked with an important decision on Nov. 3 which will have global ramifications.

Personally, I believe Biden has the stronger argument. With that being said, I do not believe that either of these candidates have an ideal foreign policy.

The U.S. was intended to pursue democracy, liberty and self-determination which neither of these candidates truly represent. It was not intended to wield authoritarian power over the globe or engage itself in the personal matters of other countries.

I believe that the United States

can engage in international affairs positively if the right leadership is chosen, but based on the records of the two candidates, I do not believe either is ideal.

Both candidates have blatantly meddled with the affairs of foreign countries which should not be tolerated by the people of the United States.

For example, both candidates authorizing (directly or voting in favor of) military action overseas almost arbitrarily, is not the ideal leadership the United States needs in terms of interacting with the world.

People in other countries should have the right to selfdetermination and liberty just as the United States was founded on.

The United States is a country that was created on important and unique ideals but how can we be the protector of these values when we don’t follow them domestically or internationally?

Based on the options, however, Biden has a better proposed policy because he has encouraged more positive international cooperation, which is a step in the right direction.

SPORTS Mike “Doc” Emrick retires from sportscasting PAGE 14

By Bella Lee Staff writer

On Oct. 19 the hockey world was shocked to hear that Mike “Doc” Emrick announced his retirement from sportscasting after a mind-boggling 50-year career. Emrick was the preeminent voice for NHL games on NBC and NBC Sports for 15 years and is well-known for serving as the play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Devils for an impressive 21 seasons.

“I hope I can handle retirement OK, especially since I’ve never done it before,” Emrick said to the New York Post. “But I’ve just been extremely lucky for 50 years.

And NBC has been so good to

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

me, especially since the pandemic, when I was allowed to work from home in a studio NBC created.

Now, into my golden years, this just seemed to be the time that was right.”

During his outstanding career Emrick has called 22 Stanley Cup Finals and won eight Sports Emmys Awards for play-by-play, including seven straight from 2014 to 2020. He has had stints at FOX, ABC, ESPN, CBS and six Winter Olympic Games. In 2011 he became the first member of the media to be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. He was named the greatest sportscaster of all time by Sports Illustrated in 2017.

His nickname of “Doc” comes

from his having a doctorate in communications. His first taste of the NHL came in the 19701971 season when he covered the Pittsburgh Penguins as an unpaid correspondent for The Beaver County Times newspaper. He began professionally broadcasting in 1973, doing play-by-plays for various teams in the IHL and AHL before becoming the first voice of the New Jersey Devils from 1982 to 1986. He also did play-byplays for the Philadelphia Flyers between 1983 and 1993, before returning to the Devils and staying with them until 2011. During this time he was able to announce the Devils’ 1995 Stanley Cup victory. He has also called other sports besides hockey, including

multiple sports in the Olympics and several NFL games between 1992 and 1993.

“Things change over 50 years, but much of what I love is unchanged from then to now and into the years ahead. I still get chills seeing the Stanley Cup. I especially love when the horn sounds, and one team has won and another team hasn’t, all hostility can dissolve into the timeless great display of sportsmanship-the handshake line. I leave you with sincere thanks,” Emrick said in a video essay announcing his retirement.

Fans will never forget his iconic announcing style with play-calling such as when the Capitals had won the Stanley Cup in 2018,

calling out, “The Capital of the country is the Capital of the hockey playoffs!”

Many other teams and players contribute their biggest moments to Emrick, including his call of “Score! The Stanley Cup! Martinez!” the moment the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012. From Penguins defenseman Kris Letang to Capitals right winger TJ Oshie, both active and retired players expressed their appreciation to Emrick for his commitment to the game and the groundbreaking calls he made for them.

Hockey announcing will not be the same without Doc Emrick.

New athlete profiles: Women’s water polo

By Kenzie Schroeder Staff writer

With the Mercyhurst women’s water polo team graduating four seniors last year, the team looks to add some strong additions to the roster this year. The team welcomed three new athletes to the team, Sakura Gavin, Emma Ruttinger and Rachel Vlieststra Sakura Gavin – A freshman from St. Louis, Missouri who played water polo and swam at Parkway Central High School where she was an All-state swimmer, Gavin will be majoring in Math-

ematics.

“My favorite thing about Mercyhurst is the people and community. My professors are all helpful and nice, making each class less stressful. The team and coaches have made Mercyhurst my home by being very welcoming and friendly,” said Gavin. “I look forward to getting to know all of them better and hanging out more. I also am excited for the season and playing with the team.

I am hoping for more in-person classes next semester.”

She also spoke to the teams potential moving into the future.

“I think this team has a lot of potential since we are all so close with a lot of good talent and leaders. I think our connection as a

team will shine through when we play, and I am excited to see the great things we do together,” said Gavin.

Emma Ruttinger – Ruttinger is from DuBois, Pennsylvania where she swam at DuBois Area High School. She is a freshman and currently plans to major in Hospitality Management.

“The thing I have enjoyed the most at Mercyhurst would be how everyone, students and staff alike, are so friendly during everything going on with COVID-19,” said Ruttinger.

Ruttinger hopes the team can

Logan Tousaw hired as new Men’s lacrosse assistant coach

By Michael Boylan

Sports editor

Mercyhurst University’s Division II Lacrosse team has made the addition of a new assistant coach for the 2020-2021 school year.

Logan Tousaw will be joining the coaching staff here at the main campus after spending the past two seasons as the head coach at Mercyhurst North East. Tousaw led the North East roster to a 10win record in 2018 which was the best the team performed in 22 seasons.

“I’m honored and ecstatic to take on a role with the Men’s lacrosse team at Mercyhurst University,” said Tousaw. “The consistency and commitment to excellence on and off the field, which Coach Ryan has built, is something to be admired. To be a part of a program working at such a high level is something I’ve dreamed of since I began my journey as a coach.”

For his collegiate career Tousaw spent two years at Onondaga Community College winning

back-to-back Junior College National Championships. He then moved on to play two years at Marquette University.

Tousaw also had the opportunity to play professionally in Major League Lacrosse for some time with the Rochester Rattlers. He spoke to how this opportunity has translated to his coaching career.

“I would say playing professionally has helped me as a coach and coaching also helped me play professionally. Seeing and playing with men who are all-world level players provided a glimpse for me of what it takes to get there,” said Tousaw. “This has helped my coaching tremendously as it has allowed me to speak to the guys

from a place of experience. On the other hand constantly preaching technical pieces of the game made me a vastly better player, one who pays attention to the details of the game.”

Tousaw will be focusing his work with the goalies and midfielders here at Mercyhurst. Looking forward he holds big aspirations for the potential of this team.

“I’m looking forward to what this program always looks forward to: winning a national championship. That is the goal, and that is the expectation. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Tousaw.

have the chance to play in the spring.

“I am looking forward to the spring and hopefully being able to play water polo. I am hoping that the COVID-19 rules will be lifted a little and we will be able to interact with people more!” said Ruttinger. “I see a lot of good and positivity. Even though we are not in season now, we are still working hard to get better for the spring.”

ner. Vlietstra was also a four-time USA Water Polo Academic All American and made Third Team All CIF Southern Section. She will be majoring in Criminology.

“I am looking forward to our season and continuing to practice with the rest of the team as well learning more material that pertains to my major,” said Vlietstra.

“For the future of the team I see us being a strong, cohesive group and hope that we be strong comRachel Vlietstra - petition for the other teams in our A freshman from division.”

Newbury Park, California, Vlietstra attended Newbury Park High School where she was a four-year varsity letter win-

LET’S GO, LAKERS! PPG Paints Athletes of the Week: Arseniy Sklyarov (Men’s tennis) Emily Gordon (Women’s tennis) Mens D1 ice hockey three weeks away from season opener (Nov. 21 against LIU) Womens DI ice hockey ranked 10th in pre-season poll

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

SPORTS

PAGE 15

MU bowling to co-host regionals

By Gillian Mazur Managing editor

Announced by the NCAA on Oct.14, Mercyhurst University, Penn State Behrend and the Erie Sports Commission will co-host the 2021-2022 National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship Regionals.

Set to be played at the Rolling Meadow Lanes, the event is scheduled from April 2-3 in 2021 and April 1-2 in 2022.

The newest team to be added to Mercyhurst’s DII NCAA athletics, the Women’s bowling team had their first season during the winter of 2019. It was the 25th varsity team to be added to the Laker’s variety of sports.

Junior Haley Youker commented on this exciting honor for the team. “Having the event held in Erie at our home center is very cool. Our entire team, and Coach Machuga especially are very excited about this opportunity. Being a fairly new team, this will be a great

opportunity to get some attention for our program. Co-hosting this event also makes us want to work that much harder so that we can participate in it,” Youker said.

Just like every other varsity team, the Women’s bowling team has been practicing regularly in a socially distant manner.

“We wear masks at all times during practice except while in the settee area. We also sanitize all surfaces before and after we practice every day,” Youker said. For all of the non-bowlers out there, the settee area is the part of the floor where one actually stands before bowling.

“We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and are excited to get back to competeing,” Youker said.

Aside from the honors of co-hosting the Regional Championships, Mercyhurst Women’s bowling has been achieving in more ways than one. Earlier in the year, the Lakers earned National Tenpin Coaches Associa-

Hurst athletics photo

Mercyhurst Women’s bowling team pictured during the 2019 season.

tion All-Academic Team status.

Awarded by the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA), this award recognizes NCAA bowling teams that excel academically each year.

Since the early 2000s, the NTCA has been a leader in the advancement for NCAA Women’s

bowling. The core mission of the NTCA is to facilitate dialogue between coaches and the NCAA in regard to bowling legislation and rules, as well as providing coaches and higher institutions with education to grow the sport.

To qualify for the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-Aca-

demic Team award, a team must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. In the 2019-2020 year, 58 programs qualified, Mercyhurst being one of them.

The Lakers’ cumulative team GPA ranked in at an impressive 3.42.

LA Dodgers win the 2020 World Series

By Bella Lee Staff writer

The city of Los Angeles has yet again seen a professional team bring home a championship trophy this year. On Oct. 20, just over a week after the Los Angeles Lakers hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy for the 17th time in franchise history, the World Series began between the National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays.

This series was a race to see which city would be the home to two trophies, as the Tampa Bay Lightning had taken home the Stanley Cup the previous month.

On Oct. 27 the Dodgers emerged victorious, defeating the Rays 3-1 in the final game and

winning the best-of-7 series 4-2 to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy for the first time since 1988.

The competition throughout the MLB playoffs was fierce. It went from a best-of-3 in the wild card series to best-of-5 in the divisional series, before going to bestof-7 in the league championship and the World Series itself.

The Dodgers were the favored team to win, this being their third World Series appearance in the past four years. In most recent years they lost to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, while losing in the first round to the Washington Nationals in 2019.

This year, they ended the run of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Series 2-0, swept the San Diego Padres in the Divisional Series 3-0 and came back from

a 3-0 series deficit to eliminate the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in the National League Championship Series.

The Rays were a strong adversary for the Dodgers this year. The first and last time they were in the World Series was in 2008 as they looked to secure their first ever World Series win.

This year the Rays immediately vanquished the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0, prevailed over the New York Yankees in the Divisional Series 3-2 and overcame the defending American League Championships, the Astros, in the American League Championship Series 4-3.

The Dodgers had an impressive run this year, especially considering that the season was significantly shortened from the usual 162 games to just 60. They had a .717 winning percentage, which

is the second-highest all-time for any World Series champion team.

In fact, the only team to beat the Dodgers in any series this year was the Colorado Rockies, winning two out of three games at Dodger Stadium in early September.

The Dodgers had some key players who performed to bring home the Series. Cody Bellinger joined his father, Clay, as a World Series champion. Clay won titles with the 1999 and 2000 Yankees and 2002 Los Angeles Angels, making the Bellingers the eighth father-son duo to win at least one title apiece.

Mookie Betts became the first MVP Award winner to win a World Series title with multiple franchises, having also won with the 2018 Red Sox. Even with the World Series loss,

the Rays still had a tremendous season. Rookie Randy Arozarena has claimed the team’s record for the most home runs in the postseason. In Game 6 of the World Series, Blake Snell gave up just two hits, walked none and struck out nine before being pulled with just one out in the sixth inning, a move viewed controversial by many Rays fans. Overall, the Rays finished their postseason scoring 67.1 percent of their runs via homers, breaking the record of the 1998 Cleveland Indians.

Despite the challenges the pandemic handed to both teams, the World Series put on some wellplayed games.

The Dodgers hoisted the trophy for the 7th time and the Rays made a post-season run that fans and rivals alike won’t soon forget.

New athlete profiles: Men’s tennis and Men’s water polo Sarah Klein

Copy editor

This week we welcome two new additions to the Men’s tennis team and four to the Men’s water polo team. Please give these new Lakers a warm welcome!

Tennis:

Avik Agrawal Arriving at Mercyhurst from Fox Chapel High School in Pittsburgh, Agrawal is majoring in Sports Business Management. In high school, his biggest accomplish-

ment was competing in the state competition all three years he was on the varsity tennis team. So far this semester he has enjoyed getting to know campus life here at Mercyhurst and hopes that the tennis team’s spring season is successful.

Derek McCumiskey The other freshman joining the Men’s tennis team this year, McCumiskey last played for Hornell High School in Hornell, New York. He is pursuing a degree in Cyber Security with a minor in Intelligence Studies.

Water Polo:

Brennan Nicholas Miller Cumby Miller arrives at The first new Mercyhurst from addition to the DeSmet Jesuit Men’s water polo High School in St. roster, Cumby hails Charles, Missouri. from Grand Blanc, Currently an undecided major, Michigan where Miller played both water polo and he attended Grand Blanc High soccer in high school.

School. In addition to water polo he also swam and dived, and was Benjamin named to the All-Region HM Villareal Swim and Dive Teams as well as A Public Health the All-Conference HM Team. major, Villareal is Cumby is majoring in Finance. from Fleetwood, Pe n n s y l v a n i a where he attended Burks Catholic High School. Vil-

lareal was a multi-sport athlete in high school, participating in both water polo and the swim team.

He was a Second Team All-Conference Selection.

Aleksa Vucorovic The final new addition to the Men’s water polo team is Vucurovic, a junior transfer from Long Beach City College. He attended Cy Fair High School in Texas, and played club water polo at Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Serbia. Vucurovic is majoring in Finance.

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your honesty continues to impress everyone who needs reassurance about a project. But be careful you don’t lose patience with those who are still not ready to act.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Pushing others too hard to do things your way could cause resentment and raise more doubts. Instead, take more time to explain why your methods will work.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Be more considerate of those close to you before making a decision that could have a serious effect on their lives.

Explain your intentions and ask for their advice.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might have to defend a workplace decision you plan to make. Colleagues might back you up on this, but it’s the facts that will ultimately win the day for you. Good luck.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) The Big Cat’s co-workers might not be doing enough to help get that project finished. Your roars might stir things up, but gentle purrr-suasion will prove to be more effective.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Someone you care for needs help with a problem. Give it lovingly and without judging the situation. Whatever you feel you should know will be revealed later.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) While you’re to be admired for how you handled recent workplace problems, be careful not to react the same way to a new situation until all the facts are in.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Rely on your keen instincts as well as the facts at hand when dealing with a troubling situation. Be patient.

Take things one step at a time as you work through it.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your curiosity leads you to ask questions. However, the answers might not be what you hoped to hear. Don’t reject them without checking them out.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Be careful not to tackle a problem without sufficient facts.

Even sure-footed Goats need to know where they’ll land before leaping off a mountain path.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Appearances can be deceiving. You need to do more investigating before investing your time, let alone your money, in something that might have some hidden flaws.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your recent stand on an issue could make you the focus of more attention than you would like. But you’ll regain your privacy, as well as more time with loved ones, by week’s end.

BORN THIS WEEK: You’re a good friend and a trusted confidante.

You would be a wonderful teacher and a respected member of the clergy. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by Z-Man